


Arrhythmia

by kellysaur



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Fingering, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Oral Sex, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:08:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23978725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kellysaur/pseuds/kellysaur
Summary: What if things had gone differently?What if Taako met Kravitz before he lost his memory?
Relationships: Kravitz/Taako (The Adventure Zone)
Comments: 51
Kudos: 143





	1. Chapter 1

Kravitz shifted uncomfortably in his chair and scanned the room around him. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d _eaten_ , let alone been in a restaurant. 

The elf across from him cocked an eyebrow, looking strangely relaxed considering why they were there in the first place. “You good, Bones?” 

“It’s _Kravitz,”_ he sighed, his feathered cloak ruffling. “And yes, I’m fine. This is just… Different from how I usually go about my bounties.” 

The elf hummed. He leaned back in his chair and kicked his heels onto the table before taking a long sip of the wine he somehow talked Kravitz into buying for him. “What makes me so different, then?” 

The difference was that none of this made sense: seven new bounties appearing out of nowhere, with the highest death counts he’d ever come across. And then he’d seen their ship, silver and flying and unlike anything he’d seen in his hundreds of years of existence. 

It wasn’t exactly his job to discriminate. A death crime was a death crime, regardless of the intention. 

But his gut told him something wasn’t adding up, that this was worth finding answers before striking. 

Kravitz frowned before offering a shrug. “I was hoping you could tell me, Mister…” 

“No mister,” the elf snorted, “just Taako.” 

“Taako.” Kravitz said the name carefully. “Do you mind if I ask you some questions?”

“Sure, darling,” Taako answered with a crooked grin, “I’m an open book.”

“You won’t mind if I cast Zone of Truth, then?” 

Taako seemed to ponder this for a moment. He pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. But then his smile returned, even wider than before. “Sure. As long as you submit to it, too.” 

Kravitz felt a twinge of irritation. “You _do_ realize you’re not exactly in a place to be making demands, right?”

“Just trying to make things more fun, handsome.” He winked before draining the last of his wine glass and setting it down on the wooden table. “You don’t have to answer anything that sounds suspicious or whatever.” 

_“Fine,”_ Kravitz huffed. He cast the spell with a flick of his wrist. A faint silver glow consumed the area around them, and a few surrounding patrons turned to look at them quizzically. 

Taako let the spell wash over him easily and, against his better judgement, Kravitz followed suit. 

“So,” he began, summoning his book and opening it to Taako’s bounty, “What are you, exactly?” 

“That’s a pretty broad question, kemosabe.” Taako swung his feet back onto the floor and leaned forward in one fluid motion, resting his chin on his interlaced fingers. “But I think the answer you’re looking for is that I’m an alien from another planar system. Also a kick-ass transmutation wizard and a _very_ good chef.” 

“I’m really supposed to believe you’re an _alien?”_

He shrugged. “I submitted to your Zone of Truth, didn’t I?”

Kravitz’s frown only deepened. “I suppose that’s fair. What—” 

“Not so fast!” Taako tilted his head. “I answered your question. My turn.”

It would have been much, much easier to handle this bounty the old-fashioned way. “Ask away, I suppose.” 

“What do you do in your free time?” 

The question startled a laugh out of him. “What do I… _What?_ You meet the Grim Reaper and _that’s_ what you want to know?” 

Taako shrugged again, though Kravitz could have sworn he saw something shifted in his posture. Like he was less tense. More at ease.

“Taako, this isn’t a date. It’s an _interrogation.”_

“Dunno why it can’t be both.” He waved a hand at the bartender, who quickly brought over another glass of wine. 

Kravitz felt another pang in his chest, but he couldn’t place what the feeling was. “I mostly focus on my job, if I’m being honest.”

“So, what did you do _before_ this gig?” 

He held up a finger. “I answered your question. It’s my turn again.” 

The smile on Taako’s face grew radiant. He picked up his glass of wine and pointed it in Kravitz’s direction. “ _Now_ you’re getting it!”

Kravitz just shook his head. “If you’re from a different planar system, what are you doing here?” 

“For the past hundred years we’ve been jumping from planar system to planar system fighting this thing called the Hunger and chasing something called the Light of Creation. It’s a lot of exposition that I don’t super want to get into right now? Barold can explain it better. But we’re the good guys.” 

Barold? Kravitz didn’t remember that name. He began searching through his book again.

“So, you gonna answer my question now, or what?”

He didn’t look up. “What was it, again?”

“What kind of things did you do before becoming a spooky death boy?”

 _“Grim Reaper.”_ Kravitz turned up his gaze with a furrowed brow. He’d never met someone so… _unafraid_ of him.

Taako just waved a hand. “Yeah, whatever.”

“I wanted to be a conductor. I played a lot of instruments—the cello was my specialty. I kept it up for a while after becoming an Emissary of the Raven Queen. But after a while I just… Stopped.” 

Taako opened his mouth, no doubt to ask another question. But, remembering his little game, let it fall shut again. 

“My next question, then, is how you and your friends have such a high death count.”

“Sometimes we die,” Taako answered matter-of-factly. “Saving planar systems isn’t always an easy gig.” 

“But you don’t _stay_ dead.” 

He clicked his tongue. “That’s kind of a second question, homie. But you’re cute, so I’ll give it to you. This time.”

“You’re too kind,” Kravitz groaned. “Really.” 

Taako winked. “Every time we enter a new planar system, we just kind of reset. We don’t really get it, and we don’t control it. So, the good news is that I’m not racking up a death count on purpose. Why’d you stop playing?”

“I didn’t see the point. My heart wasn’t beating, and I didn’t have anyone to play for. It just stopped meaning as much, I guess.” He missed it, sometimes. But it felt distant, like it was just a little too out of reach. He was getting distracted. “This Hunger thing kills you?”

“I think death number six was the Hunger. Sometimes it’s the locals. Sometimes it’s bad luck. Sometimes I’m just dumb. You know, how people die anywhere.” Taako polished off his second drink. “Does it get lonely? Being Death?”

“That’s an oddly personal question for a first date.”

“Oh, so it _is_ a date?”

Kravitz sighed. His fingers thrummed absently against the table. “It can get lonely, yes. But that’s just part of the job. There isn’t really a place for me in this world anymore. Doesn’t it get lonely traveling from planar system to planar system?”

Taako softened. The aloofness around him faded, just for a moment, and he reached out just enough for his hand to brush against Kravitz’s. “Yeah, it does. There’s not a place for me in this world, either.” 

He felt that thrum in his chest again, and Kravitz pushed away the thought that it might be a shallow heartbeat. His eyes drifted down to where their hands were touching. He was cold; he _knew_ he was cold, but Taako didn’t flinch or immediately pull away. 

Taako pulled his hand back for a moment to tuck it back under his chin. “You’re forgetting a pretty important question, my man. But it’s okay, I can wait.” 

“Right. Sorry.” Kravitz cleared his throat and forced himself back to reality. It took a moment for his thoughts to catch up. And then it hit him. “Are we in danger?”

“Got it in one, I’m proud of you!” Taako grinned. But unlike the others, Kravitz could tell this one didn’t reach his eyes. “And the answer is yes and no. Not from the Hunger. Theoretically. Maybe from some other stuff. But we’re here to keep an eye on things.” 

Kravitz deflated. “That’s the vaguest answer you’ve given me. What aren’t you telling me?”

Taako’s fake smile fell. “Listen, Krav. We’ve been doing this thing for a hundred years. And we finally, finally have a plan that might work. Might. It’s… not great. I’m not in love with it. But it’s already been put into action, and it’s the best chance we’ve got of keeping this plane out of the Hunger’s reach. So, I know we just met, and I’m a death criminal or whatever, but I need you to trust me.”

Kravitz didn’t know what he planned on saying, but his own spell pulled the truth out of him. “I do.” 

The corners of Taako’s mouth twitched upwards. “So, you ever hear of artificing?”

\--

Kravitz watched the sun slip behind Neverwinter’s skyline, anxiety thrumming in his chest. He stood in front of the entrance to a popular park, streetlights flickering to life around him.

What if Taako didn’t show up? He’d said he’d be here, but he was late. How long could he justify waiting? 

He sighed. Just a few more minutes. And if Taako didn’t show up, the strange truce they’d formed at the tavern would be over. 

He really, really hoped that didn’t happen. 

And then, sharp footsteps echoed off the cobblestones. Kravitz spun around—a bit too eagerly—to see Taako, his hands shoved in his coat pockets and a smirk on his face. 

“Hey, handsome. Couldn’t stay away, huh?”

Kravitz felt the tension fade from his shoulders. “I’ve got an update for you, actually.” 

“Natch. Wanna walk?” Taako closed the distance between them, hooking their arms together before Kravitz could think to respond. 

They walked in silence for a long moment, strolling almost lazily through the park. The songs of crickets and birds filled the air. And Kravitz knew he was much, much more relaxed than he should be on a job. 

“So,” he said finally, “I talked to the Raven Queen, and I have good news.”

Taako’s ears twitched, but he otherwise seemed uninterested. “Yeah?” 

“I told her your situation, and that you were honest and cooperative. She’s agreed to lift your bounty.” 

“Sweet. One less thing we’ve gotta worry about then, right?” He flashed Kravitz a quick grin before shifting closer.

“I, uh, do need to clarify something, though. Your bounty has been lifted. But in order to do the same for the rest of your crew—the others in my book—I need to meet them, as well. I need to make sure they… Have the same intentions and goals as you.” 

Taako stopped in his tracks. He turned towards Kravitz with a scowl. “You realize that sounds fishy as fuck, right? You can’t just take my word for it?”

“I’m not playing tricks on you, Taako.” Kravitz shook his head. “I believe you, truly. But this… It’s complicated, and delicate. One of your crewmates died _fifty-seven_ times. That is incredibly severe. I can’t just excuse that without at least talking to him.” 

Taako frowned, then narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips in thought. When he finally spoke, the light edge to his voice had been replaced with something harsher and sharper. “I need to know I can trust you before I let you on the ship.” 

“Of course.” Kravitz could open a rift there easily on his own. But it would be better to have Taako on his side, to have the crew willing to cooperate. “What do I need to do?”

And just like that, Taako’s hostility vanished. His mouth twisted into a crooked grin. “I’ve just gotta get to know you better.” 

“And how do you want to do that?” 

“Just keep doing what we’re doing,” he shrugged. “Meet up, hang for a while. That sort of thing.” 

The answer pulled a laugh out of Kravitz. He felt too at peace, with Taako’s weight against him. “Oh, that’s all? And this is for _business,_ right? You’re not trying to trick me into going on any more dates?” 

_“More_ dates? So, these last two _have_ been dates, huh?” Taako cocked his head as his smile spread wider. 

_Fuck._ He was in too deep. How had Taako managed to disarm him so _quickly?_ He’d been the Grim Reaper for a long time, and he’d never let his guard down like this. “Absolutely not. You just keep trying, is what I mean.” 

Taako snorted. “You actually invited me on this one, kemosabe. Do you usually talk business like this? Arm-in-arm in a park?” 

“My line of work usually takes me to necromantic hideouts. I just thought this would be a nice change of pace.”

“Right. Sure. I’m just saying, Bones. It’s not ‘tricking’ you into a date if you know damn well what you’re getting yourself into.”

“They’re _not_ dates,” Kravitz insisted, trying to convince himself as much as Taako. 

“Call them what you want, but we’re going on more of them before you meet everyone else.”


	2. Chapter 2

“No, it’s Taako. T-A-A-K-O.”

“I’m sorry, sir. I don’t have you down.” 

“Yes, you do. I scheduled this a _week_ ago.” Taako hissed, leaning over the stand to peer at the book of reservations. Kravitz stood awkwardly behind him, desperately avoiding eye contact with the frustrated hostess. 

He cleared his throat. “What’s the wait time for a table for two?”

“We are among the most elite restaurants in Neverwinter.” The hostess narrowed her eyes. “We only take reservations.”

“I _made_ a reservation!” Taako snapped. 

“I’m _sorry,”_ the hostess answered without sympathy, “but I can’t help you.” 

“Fine. We’ll just go somewhere else.” Taako stomped back towards the door, snatching Kravitz’s hand and dragging him along. 

Kravitz felt the cool night air hit his face as Taako pushed through the heavy wooden doors. They made it to the side of the building before Taako finally stopped. 

“It’s okay. We can find somewhere else to eat.” Kravitz was acutely aware of their still-intertwined fingers, but he didn’t pull his hand away. 

“Anywhere worth our time is already gonna be packed,” Taako sighed. “Just… Let me think.” 

His face twitched into a focused frown, and he chewed absently at his bottom lip. 

“Do you want to reschedule?” Kravitz offered. But Taako shook his head before he could even finish getting the words out. 

“How about this.” He tugged his hand free. “Let’s… go back to my place?”

“What? Are you… sure?” 

They’d been doing this for a month: scheduling meetings at restaurants and parks to talk. In that entire time, Taako never brought up meeting his crewmates, or visiting his home. And Kravitz hadn’t pushed, because he hadn’t wanted to cut their time short by completing his mission. 

Taako looked up at him, eyes full of uncertainty before he masked it with a grin. “Yeah, it’s no biggie. I can probably cook better than this place anyways. And everyone’s gonna be out tonight, so…” 

Kravitz offered a more genuine smile of his own. “That sounds perfect.” 

“Cool.” Taako stepped closer, hooking their arms together before starting down the cobblestone road. “It’s not too far from here. It’ll be a nice walk.”

They walked arm-in-arm, mostly in silence. Occasionally one of them would point out something to the other: a strange storefront, an interesting flower. But for the most part, they just enjoyed each other’s company. 

The walk really didn’t last long. As soon as they reached the outskirts of the city, Taako’s home came into view. 

And before long, Kravitz found himself in the kitchen of an alien spaceship. 

It was… less spectacular than he would have thought. It looked like any other kitchen, really: counters lining one wall and a rounded table in the center. 

Taako quickly got to work, slicing meat and boiling water. “You ever had spaghetti carbonara?”

Kravitz shook his head. He did his best to ignore how intimate this all was, how he couldn’t pretend this was all work anymore. “Can’t say I have.”

“It’s gonna blow your fucking mind.”

Kravitz chuckled, feeling a strange mixture of ease and panic. How was he supposed to navigate a situation like this? 

He watched as Taako grated a mountain of cheese, then absently wipe his face. And it was _nothing,_ but something about Taako in his element sent him reeling. 

“Hey, Taako?”

“Yeah?” Taako broke concentration on his cooking to catch Kravitz’s eye with an uncharacteristic eagerness.

There had been words on the tip of his tongue, though he didn’t know what exactly he wanted to say. Instead, his thumb reached to brush his cheek. 

“You got some food on your face,” he explained lamely. His hand lingered, and he didn’t have enough control over it to bring it back to his side. 

Taako leaned into the touch with a cock of his head. When he spoke, his voice stayed at a whisper, as if he’d scare the moment away. “Hey, Krav? This isn’t just business, right?”

And suddenly, the very idea seemed impossible. How could he let Taako think he was anything but important? As scared as he was, how could he let himself be anything but vulnerable around him?

They drifted closer, until Kravitz pressed their lips together. He’d thought about this dozens of times over the last month—though he’d pretended not to—and Taako’s lips were even softer than he’d dreamed. The kiss was perfect.

Instead of pulling away, Taako pressed himself closer. Kravitz felt his back hit the counter as a hand tangled in Taako’s hair. Taako’s tongue slipped into his mouth, and dizzily Kravitz realized they’d _both_ wanted this for a while.

Kravitz relaxed into the kiss with a quiet hum. His heart pounded twice in his chest. 

And then he felt the tugging in the back of his head that meant he was needed on the Astral Plane. 

Hesitantly but firmly, he pushed Taako away. “I have to go.”

Taako’s face fell. Kravitz shook his head frantically. “No, Taako. It… It’s not you. I promise. I’m being called into work.”

Taako furrowed his brow. “How do you…?”

“It’s just a feeling that I get.” He could hear how bad it all sounded. He wouldn’t believe him, either. “But I’ll call you. I promise.”

Taako still didn’t look convinced; Kravitz pressed a delicate kiss to his lips to prove his point. “I want this, Taako. I really, truly want this. I’ll call you as soon as I can.”

The pulling in his head grew desperate, and Kravitz had to pull himself away from Taako’s embrace. 

Taako pushed on a smile. “Yeah, okay. I’ll hear from you soon, yeah?”

“Yes.” Even though he could tell Taako was faking it, it came as a relief that he was trying. “As soon as I can.”

Kravitz summoned his scythe and tore a portal back home.


	3. Chapter 3

Kravitz spent the next twenty-four hours ushering confused souls into the Astral Plane. 

“Everything was _fine,_ ” a woman had told him tearfully. “What happened?”

He hadn’t had time to dwell on it until later, when he finally found himself alone. 

He fell back into his bed and stared up at the ceiling of his small room. He barely knew Taako. But today, he’d seen what he’d created: something dangerous enough to wipe out an entire village in one night. 

Was this really the power of the Relics? Of the objects Taako and his family had brought into the world?

Is that something he wanted to associate with? Why wasn’t he putting a _stop_ to it?

He thought of the alleged alternative—an all-consuming darkness. 

This had to be better. 

Right?

But then his mind drifted to Taako, and the past month. His laugh. His crooked grin. His wit. Their lips pressing together. Taako, pushing himself closer—

Was Kravitz ready to give all that up?

His stone of far speech vibrated on his night stand. Eagerly, he snatched it up. “Hello?”

“I was starting to worry you’d never answer.” Taako laughed, but Kravitz could hear the waver of uncertainty in his voice. “I’ve called a couple of times, now.”

“Sorry. I’ve been busy.” He didn’t bother filling in the details—he had no doubt that Taako already knew where he’d been. 

“ _Anyways_ , now that you’ve got some free time, I was wondering if you wanted to drop by. Maybe pick up where we left off?”

Kravitz felt his heart dance in his chest. 

The logical part of his brain tells him to back away from all of this. He couldn’t be sure what he was getting himself into. It could be more trouble than it was worth.

But the rest of him felt so, so alive for the first time in hundreds of years. 

“I’ll be right there.” 

\--

Kravitz and Taako’s get-togethers became less business and more pleasure. Outside, the Relics gained more and more renown, and the death count continued to climb. Distantly, Kravitz knew they might just be taking comfort in each other, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.

“Taako.” A month had passed since their first kiss, and Kravitz found himself laying in Taako’s bed.

Taako hoisted himself up on his elbows and peered down at Kravitz. His loose hair hung in his face. Kravitz reached to tuck it behind his ear. “Yeah?”

“I need to meet the others.”

Taako frowned. “You sure?”

Kravitz nodded, feeling a twinge of frustration. “Yes, and I need to talk to Lup and Barry.”

He watched the tension rise through Taako’s body. “I don’t—"

“I don’t mean them any harm,” Kravitz interrupted. “I just want to talk.”

Taako sighed. “Yeah. I guess there’s no putting it off any longer. I’ve just got one question for you.”

“Anything,” Kravitz answered too honestly.

Taako’s gaze shifted down to their hands, just barely brushing. “You’re not gonna leave me once your job is done, right?”

It startled a laugh out of him. He couldn’t even entertain it as a possibility—he knew he was in hopelessly over his head. “No. I’m here to stay as long as you’ll have me.”

Taako’s face melted into that easy smile Kravitz had grown so fond of. “I know that. I was just testing you.”

\--

Kravitz stood in the audience chamber of the Astral Plane, in front of the Raven Queen’s incomprehensible form. 

“I’m meeting the others tomorrow,” he told her. 

_Including the liches?_ Her voice echoed through his head, as it always did. It was a sort of comfort, feeling it there.

“Yes.” Anxiety thrummed in his veins. He meant it when he told Taako he didn’t mean them harm—he just hoped the Raven Queen had the same intention.

_I need you to do me a favor, then, Kravitz._

Kravitz felt himself tense. What would he do if She wanted him to hurt them? Would he be able to stand his ground against Her?

_Get to know them. Ask them about their reasoning behind their transformation and the powers they’ve obtained. Prove they aren’t a threat to others or themselves, just as you did with this Taako you care for so deeply._

“I don’t—” he snapped his mouth shut. It wouldn’t do him any good to lie to Her. 

She could see right through him, anywys.

She chuckled, and the sound filled his soul. _I know._

He shook his head. Back to the matter at hand. “How do I proceed from there?”

_If they prove not to be a problem, I have no issues pardoning them._

“And if they _are_ a problem?”

_I doubt that will be the case._

\--

Kravitz shifted his weight awkwardly as the other members of the IPRE shuffled into the room. As they entered, he made a mental tally in his head of who was who.

_Davenport, died three times._

_Lucretia, died six times._

_Magnus, died nineteen times._

_Merle, died fifty-seven times._

_Barry, died seven times, lich._

_Lup, died eleven times, lich._

They all piled onto the worn couch in front of him, casting quizzical looks in Taako’s direction.

Taako cleared his throat. “So. Everyone, this is Kravitz.”

After a beat of silence, Magnus spoke. “Did you call us all out here to meet your new boyfriend?”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Taako snapped. Kravitz fought off a frown. He thought they’d at least been _approaching_ that territory.

Then again, why did he _care?_ Why did he want to be the boyfriend of a death criminal?

Davenport groaned. “Okay. Why is he on our ship?”

“He’s the Grim Reaper.”

A silence fell over the room. Lucretia broke it first. “Taako, can I talk to you in the kitchen?”

Her voice held a firm edge, but Taako only shrugged. “No, thank you. Anyways—” 

Davenport cleared his throat. “Taako. The three of us are going to talk in the kitchen.” Then, before Taako could object, _“Captain’s orders.”_

Taako sneered as he stomped towards the door. “You’d think after a hundred years you’d stop pulling the captain card,” he hissed.

The three of them disappeared through the doorway, leaving Kravitz alone with Barry, Lup, Merle, and Magnus.

Well, now was as good of a time as any. “Actually, Lup, Barry, I need to talk to the two of you alone.”

Magnus tensed. “I don’t trust you. I’m not leaving them.”

Kravitz exhaled, desperately trying to keep his patience. “I just want to talk to them.”

“What do you want to talk about?”

Magnus narrowed his eyes, but Barry put a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Necromancy stuff, probably. We can handle ourselves, bud,” he smiled.

Even as he responded, Magnus kept his glare trained on Kravitz. “I’ll be right outside the room. Just yell if you need me and I’ll come running.” He made his way out of the room without another word and stationed himself in the hallway, where he still had a clear view of Kravitz and the others.

Kravitz raised an eyebrow at Merle.

“Fine, fine. I know where I’m not wanted.” Merle raised his hands in surrender before jumping down from the couch and waddling into the kitchen. As the door opened, Kravitz could hear the hushed and tense voices of Lucretia and Davenport.

“So,” Lup scowled. She had an uncanny resemblance to her brother—he’d seen the same face on Taako a dozen times before. Barry pulled her hand into his lap. “You’ve got us. Start talking.”

“Before I begin, do you mind if I cast Zone of Truth?”

Lup narrowed her eyes. “Only if you submit to it, too.”

Kravitz sighed even as he fought off a smile. “I’ve already played this game with your brother.”

“Then you won’t mind playing it again.”

“Fine.” He cast the glittering spell with a wave of his hand. Barry gave Lup’s hand a squeeze and they both submitted to the spell. Kravitz did the same.

Lup spoke first, a look of disgust on her face. “Are you banging my brother?” Barry turned to her with a look of horror.

Oh, boy.

Kravitz took a deep breath as a ball of lead settled in his stomach. “I’m—I have not slept with your brother.”

Lup wrinkled her nose. “But you want to.”

Kravitz flinched. If he wanted to or not didn’t matter. Without a heartbeat, he had no blood flow. And without that—

He needed to stay focused.

He didn’t answer. He couldn’t, when he didn’t know what would come out of his mouth. Instead, he asked, “Why did you become liches?”

“To protect our family,” Barry responded. “And to protect the planar systems from the Hunger. If we can’t die, then that means our family—and everyone else—stays safe. It wasn’t a decision we came to easily. We understood the severity of it.”

Lup pulled her hand free and crossed her arms. “Are you using him?”

Kravitz blinked back his surprise. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” Lup shrugged, as if it were the most casual conversation in the world. She and her brother really did seem to have a lot in common. “Have you been using my brother to get to the rest of us?”

He frowned. The thought hadn’t even _occurred_ to him. “Of course, not. I truly do care about Taako.”

She didn’t seem convinced. With a shrug of his own, Kravitz added, “I submitted to the Zone of Truth too, remember.”

Lup grumbled. “Okay, fine. Your turn.”

“Are the two of you in control of your lich powers?”

“Yes,” Lup and Barry answered in unison, almost immediately. It would have been convincing even without the spell.

“Alright, then. That’s all I need to know.” There was more he _wanted_ to know, but it didn’t seem pressing enough to risk whatever Lup wanted to ask him next. “Thank you. I’ll need to talk to the Raven Queen, but I believe you’ll be alright as long as you don’t do anything criminalizing from here on out.”

“So, don’t become liches a second time,” Lup smirked.

Kravitz matched her sly smile. “Something like that.”

He started towards the kitchen, but Barry stepped forward and cut him off. “Uh, I wouldn’t go in there if I were you.”

Lup nodded her agreement. “They’re gonna be a while.”

Kravitz frowned. “But—”

Barry shook his head. “Trust us. You don’t wanna go in there.”

“But,” Lup offered, “We’d be happy to pass on a message for you.”

\--

A day later, Kravitz found himself standing outside the Starblaster. Across from him stood Taako, his arms crossed. 

Kravitz cleared his throat. “Do you want to go inside, or…?”

Taako sighed, looking tense. “They don’t want you on the ship.”

“Oh.” He probably could have guessed at that outcome, if he’d given himself time to think about it.

“Yeah.” Taako chewed his lip as he stared at the ground.

A silence fell over them again. Kravitz was all too aware of Taako’s hostile posture. “Taako, did I do something to upset you?”

He glanced up. “You shouldn’t have talked to Lup and Barry.”

Kravitz frowned. “I told you I had to.”

“Yeah,” Taako snapped, “But you shouldn’t have talked to them _without_ me.”

Kravitz almost wanted to laugh. “Is _that_ what this is about? How was I supposed to know that if you didn’t tell me?”

Taako wrinkled his nose. “You should have known better.”

Kravitz sighed. “If you want something, you have to _tell_ me. I’m the Grim Reaper, not a mind reader.”

Taako only shrugged. 

“And why did you say I wasn’t your boyfriend? I know we never talked about it, but I thought we had _something_ going on.” It stung more than Kravitz would let on. 

Now, Taako held his stare with a steady gaze. “Because it’s none of their fucking business if I’m seeing someone or not.” 

“So you lied to them?”

Taako narrowed his eyes. “ _Was_ it a lie? You said yourself we never talked about it.”

It felt like an arrow to the chest. “It hurt, Taako.”

“Yeah? Well it hurt when you talked to my sister without me.”

Kravitz could feel an argument brewing. And he didn’t _want_ that. Not with Taako. “Maybe I should go.”

Taako tensed his jaw but didn’t respond. 

Kravitz exhaled, feeling defeated. “By the way, the Raven Queen agreed to pardon your family. They’re good people. They care about you a lot.”

Taako focused his gaze back on the ground. 

Kravitz summoned his scythe and opened a portal. “You know how to reach me. I’ll be there if you need me.”

When Taako didn’t answer, Kravitz stepped through and let the rift close behind him.


	4. Chapter 4

Kravitz, cross-legged in bed, watched as Taako poured tea from an ancient kettle into equally faded teacups.

It had been a week since their fight. Taako seemed to be pretending it never happened, and Kravitz had found himself doing the same.

He cleared his throat. “They’re calling it the Relic Wars.”

“Yeah?” Taako dropped too many sugar cubes into one of the cups and stirred with a shrug of his shoulders. “Guess that fits.”

Kravitz felt that familiar pang of hurt in his chest. “Don’t you care?”

Taako set down the kettle a little too hard. “Course I care,” he answered nonchalantly. 

_Then act like it,_ Kravitz wanted to shout. 

Instead, he stayed silent as Taako handed him his tea. 

“Taako, I—“

Taako’s ears perked up. “Shhh! Did you hear that?”

Kravitz frowned. “Did I hear what?”

“Someone just walked by.” Taako slammed his cup down. Tea sloshed onto the nightstand. “ _Shit,_ we were supposed to have the place to ourselves!”

“Do you want me to—” 

“You need to go.” Taako pulled the cup from Kravitz’s hand. “I can’t have Cap’n’port find out you’re here.” 

\--

Kravitz’s stone of far speech rang a few hours later. Kravitz answered immediately. “Taako? Is everything—”

“Try again.” The voice held enough similarities for Kravitz to recognize it immediately. 

“Lup.”

“Natch. Now listen, Bone Boy. We need to talk.”

“What’s up?” Despite the anxiety in his chest, Kravitz did his best to keep any hostility out of his voice. He knew how important Lup was to Taako. 

“I know you’ve been seeing my brother.”

 _Shit._ “And?”

“And I’m not here to make any decisions for him. He’s an adult. But I need to you know what you’re getting in the middle of.”

“You said yourself that he’s an adult. He can—” 

“I need you to shut up and listen. I’ve already talked to him.” Lup sighed, and her voice softened. “This is the only family we’ve got. And I don’t want some random guy ruining that for him.” 

“I don’t plan on ruining anything.”

“I _know,_ dummy. But just think about it. How pissed would the others be if they found out Taako’s been sneaking you in?”

“I… I don’t know.”

“Right. Because _you_ don’t know them. But Taako does. And he _knows_ they’d be pissed.”

Kravitz felt himself getting defensive, as if Taako would be ripped out from under him. “What are you going to do about it?”

Lup hesitated. “Nothing. Taako seems to think he needs you right now. Just… Please. Don’t ruin this for him.”

\--

The death toll climbed higher.

“It bothers me.” Taako leaned against Kravitz, and Kravitz instinctively reached to stroke his hair. “It really does.”

“You don’t act like it,” Kravitz whispered. 

Taako shrugged. “What do you want me to do? I can’t change it.”

“You can still _care!_ ” 

“I can’t,” Taako laughed. “I’ve been doing this for a hundred years. You think I still have it in me to care? I’ve seen world after world die. Even the planes we saved still suffered. I’ve got it in me to care about my family, and I care about you, and that’s _it._ ”

“What makes me so different from everyone else on this plane? Why do I get to be the exception?” 

Taako stared at the ground, his ears burning red. “You were in the right place at the right time, I guess.” 

\--

 _Interesting._ The Raven Queen cocked her head. _Despite the lies, despite the pain, you’ve truly grown to love this boy._

Kravitz felt his cheeks grow hot as he kneeled before her. “That’s—With all due respect, my Queen, I believe love is a strong word.”

 _Is it?_ She reached a limb—a hand, a claw, a wing—out to caress his face. _Your heart beats. Is that not for him? ___

__Kravitz pressed a hand to his chest to feel his pulse. When _did_ his heart start beating? He remembered fleeting moments of it pounding in his chest. Which one had done him in? Was it Taako’s laugh? His wit? The feeling of their lips pressed together? He couldn’t place it. All he knew was that Taako had breathed life back into him. _ _

___In all my time, I have never seen anything quite like it._ The Raven Queen cocked her head. _Perhaps you have found something extraordinary.__ _

__Perhaps. Or perhaps he’d gotten himself in too deep._ _

__\--_ _

__Taako snorted. “You talked to your mom about me?”_ _

__“She’s not my _mom,”_ Kravitz scoffed. “She’s an all-powerful deity.” _ _

__“And also your mom.”_ _

__“ _Taako._ ”_ _

__“I’m just saying,” Taako shrugged, “if you’re mom’s the only one you have to talk to, then you really need to get out more.”_ _

__“Oh?” Kravitz raised an eyebrow. “Does that mean you’ll take me out, then?”_ _

__Taako’s smile faltered. Kravitz felt an inkling of panic that he’d done something wrong._ _

__But Taako’s voice was soft and gentle. “Yeah, I’ll take you out. Once all this Relic stuff blows over.”_ _

__Kravitz’s heart skipped in his chest. He couldn’t think of anything he wanted more than to share the world with Taako, instead of being confined to his small bedroom on the ship. “Is that a promise?”_ _

__“Yeah.” Taako’s smile returned brightly, like it had never left at all. “Yeah. It is.”_ _


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's sex in this one! If that makes you uncomfortable, skip from "I could use a distraction" to the next time there are two dashes.

Kravitz stepped through a rift and into Taako’s room, just as he had so many times before. 

Today, though, something was off.

Taako sat on the edge of his bed, barely lifting his gaze as Kravitz came into view. 

He looked… small. 

“Hey.” The rift closed, and Kravitz plopped down beside him. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah, everything’s great.” Taako flashed a grin, but it didn’t meet his eyes. “Did you know next week marks a year of us being on this plane?”

“Wow. A year already?” And what a year it had been. Kravitz reached up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind Taako’s ear. “Do the years go by any faster for you?”

Taako shrugged, staring at his hands in his lap. “Depends on the year, I guess.”

Kravitz sighed. “Taako, are you sure everything is alright?”

Instead of answering, Taako pushed onward. “We’re having a party. To celebrate beating the Hunger.”

“Oh.” Kravitz frowned. “That’s an… Interesting choice.”

Taako only offered another shrug.

“You don’t seem to be in a party mood. And rightly so, I suppose.”

Taako stiffened. “We’ve worked hard to get here, Kravitz.”

“I’m not saying you haven’t.” Kravitz moved, and the mattress shifted beneath him. This didn’t sit right with him. “It’s just… doesn’t it seem a little perverse to have a party when so many people are dying?”

“It’s better than the alternative,” Taako spat. He still wouldn’t look at him. “And it means I get to stay here.”

Kravitz deflated. He didn’t want this to lead to another argument. They had so many of those, these days. “Okay. So, what? Are you inviting me to this party?” Lup’s warning echoed through his head. “Does your family know?”

“No. But they can deal.”

“Even Lup?”

Kravitz felt Taako’s body tense against his shoulder. “No,” he growled. “Not even Lup.”

“That wasn’t meant to upset you, Taako.” Kravitz grimaced. He put his arm around Taako’s shoulders. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Taako tried to shrug him off, but Kravitz stayed put. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It _does_ matter.” Kravitz’s heart hurt. “It’s upsetting you. Let me care about you, Taako.”

The room fell silent, and Kravitz waited. 

Taako took a deep, shuddering breath. “She’s just… distant. She’ll get over it.”

“Distant?” Kravitz pulled Taako a little closer. 

Taako shook his head. “I don’t wanna talk about it,” he whispered. 

Kravitz nodded. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“I could use a distraction,” Taako laughed. 

A distraction. Maybe that’s all he was to Taako. 

But did he care?

Not really. Not as long as Taako needed him. 

Wordlessly, he pulled Taako into a kiss. He felt as Taako melted against him, felt the tension leave his shoulders. 

He pulled him closer, a hand clutching Taako’s thigh and one running through his hair. Taako’s hands began fumbling with the buttons on Kravitz’s shirt. As soon as the shirt fell open, Taako pushed it off his shoulders. 

_I love you._ Kravitz could feel it with every ounce of his being, even if he couldn’t get himself to say the words out loud. 

He kissed down Taako’s neck, pausing just long enough to pull his sweater over his head. 

Taako wrapped his arms around Kravitz’s bare shoulders and pulled him down, until his back was in the mattress as Kravitz hovered above him. 

Lips trailed down Taako’s chest, down his stomach, following his eager hands as he touched every part of Taako he could reach.

He stopped at Taako’s waistband. “Is this okay?”

Taako, breathless, nodded. A blush had spread from his cheeks to his pointed ears. He wriggled his hips impatiently. 

Obediently, Kravitz tugged down Taako’s leggings and tossed them to the side. 

Taako looked so beautiful, naked and laying before him. Waiting. 

He bent back over Taako. He kissed and nipped at his thighs, hard enough to leave marks behind. Taako gasped quietly beneath him. 

Kravitz whispered the words to a spell to slick up his fingers before kissing back up Taako’s legs. He licked his way up Taako’s cock before taking the head into his mouth. He bobbed slowly, taking in more and more as he pressed the tip of a finger into Taako’s entrance. 

The sheet beneath him shifted as Taako twisted it in his hands before forcing himself to relax. 

Kravitz pushed his first finger in completely, slowly working Taako open before slipping in another. 

He pulled back, swirling his tongue around the head of Taako’s cock before taking as much of it in as he could manage. Taako’s hips twitched upward, pushing himself even further down Kravitz’s throat. 

And then Taako came, muffling his cry with the back of his hand. Kravitz swallowed around him, working him through it, pushing his fingers deeper to hit that sweet spot. Only once he was sure Taako was finished did he pull away. 

“ _Fuck,_ Krav,” Taako laughed airily. 

“How was that for a distraction?”

“Good.” Taako snorted. “Good. Want me to return the favor?”

Kravitz shook his head. This wasn’t about him. “I’d rather just hold you close, if that’s okay.”

“Course.” Taako shifted over on the small bed to make room, and Kravitz crawled up beside him. Wordlessly, Taako curled up on his bare chest and traced light circles into his stomach. Kravitz took the chance to pet Taako’s hair. “Will you spend the night?”

“Taako, you know that’s dangerous. Your family—” 

“They’re gonna find out about you soon enough,” Taako grumbled. “I’m tired of hiding you all the fucking time.” He gripped Kravitz’s arm tightly. “Just… Stay. Please.”

“Okay.” Kravitz moved to tuck a loose strand of hair behind Taako’s ear. “Okay, I’ll stay.”

\--

After a while, Taako broke the silence. “Your heart really _is_ beating.”

“I don’t know why I would have lied about that,” Kravitz chuckled. 

“Right. It’s just…” Taako shrugged against him. “Interesting.”

_It’s beating for you,_ Kravitz wanted to say. Instead, he just nodded. “It _is_ interesting.”

“You’re so much warmer than you used to be,” Taako added in a quiet mumble. 

Kravitz didn’t answer. He just lay there, alternating between stroking Taako’s hair and rubbing his back.

It wasn’t long before Taako fell asleep. 

\--

Kravitz stayed like that for hours, with Taako sleeping in his arms. But as the night wore on, he found himself getting more and more restless. 

He knew the risks—beyond the door to Taako’s room was his family that hated him, that wanted to tear the two of them apart. Still, he could only fight the temptation for so long before he untangled himself from Taako’s embrace and stepped outside. 

It was late enough that everyone should be in bed. But as he stepped out onto the deck, he caught sight of a figure in the darkness. 

He froze. But it was too late—the figure turned from their spot against the railing. “Who’s there?”

Lup. 

Kravitz breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped out into the open. “It’s me.”

Even in the darkness, he could see her face contort into a frown. “You’re not supposed to be here, Skeletor.”

“I know.” Kravitz stepped closer. “Taako asked me to stay.”

“Hmph.” Lup turned back out to the wilderness around them. “Couldn’t sleep?”

“I haven’t figured that part out yet,” Kravitz admitted. “You?”

Lup shrugged. “I’m not sleeping much these days.”

He moved to stand beside her. “Taako’s worried about you.”

“Yeah?” Lup rolled her eyes. “How’s he doing? He doesn’t talk to me anymore.”

“He says the same thing about you.”

Lup bristled, but her voice softened. “What am I supposed to do? People are dying because of me.”

“So, this is about the Relics?”

“Course this is about the Relics.”

Kravitz leaned his weight against the railing and followed Lup’s gaze out into the trees. It was easy to forget that the _Starblaster_ had found its home nestled in the woods instead of on the open seas. “I wish there was another way. Like… A way for them to be sought after but not obtained.”

Lup spun to face him with wide eyes. “Like people knew they were there but couldn’t get to them.”

Kravitz raised an eyebrow. What was she thinking? He couldn’t read her. “Yes, exactly.”

Her posture had changed. Like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. “Thanks, Ghost Rider.”

Kravitz’s brow furrowed. “For what?”

Lup shrugged, a grin bright on her face. “For lots of stuff. You’ve done Taako a lot of good. I’m glad he has you to lean on.” 

Before he could respond, she shook her head. “Listen. I’ve gotta go try and get some sleep. But for real. Thank you.” She jumped away from the railing and headed towards the door.

“You’re welcome?” he called after her. But she was already gone. 

\--

That was the last time he saw her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your comments really drive this fic, so please let me know if you liked this chapter!!!


	6. Chapter 6

Kravitz picked up his stone of far speech eagerly the moment it began to ring. “Taako? How are you? How was the party?”

Taako’s voice rang through, nervous in a way Kravitz had never heard. “She’s gone.”

Kravitz shifted the stone to his other ear. “Who’s gone?”

“Lup. She just—I don’t—” 

His chest tightened. “Do you need me to come over?”

“N-No! No. The others are here. I can’t—I can’t handle that right now.”

“Okay. Take a deep breath. Start from the beginning. What happened?”

He heard Taako inhale, then exhale. “She… Left a note. Saying she’d be back soon.”

Kravitz relaxed. “Taako, she probably just headed into town. I’m sure—” 

“That was the morning after the party. Two days ago. She’s still gone.”

 _Oh._ “Is that… Unlike her?”

“She wouldn’t just _leave!_ ”

He could hear Taako’s breaths becoming short and frantic again. It tore at his heart, standing by as Taako fell apart. 

“Taako, we’ll find her. I promise.” 

\--

A week had passed, and Lup hadn’t come home. Now, Kravitz found himself deep in the forest surrounding Neverwinter with Taako and Barry Bluejeans. He could see Barry eyeing him nervously, as if silently asking why he was there. 

After a prolonged silence, he cleared his throat. “Taako and I have been—” 

“I know you’ve been seeing each other.” Barry hugged himself tightly. He didn’t match up with the way Taako’s described him, but Kravitz couldn’t blame him for being a little closed-off. “Lup told me. I mean, why are you here now?”

“I’m here to help.” 

Barry looked less than convinced. Taako stepped in. 

“He’s a bounty hunter. It’s his job to find people.” 

Barry still seemed weary. But he also looked… Tired. Kravitz could see the exhaustion in Taako’s face, too. 

He knew it would destroy him if Taako went missing, and they’d only known each other a year. Barry had known Lup for one-hundred, and Taako had known her even longer. 

He couldn’t imagine losing someone like that. 

\--

All of Kravitz’s free time was dedicated to searching for Lup. He became a constant presence in Taako’s and Barry’s expeditions. But each time, they turned up empty-handed. 

Taako grew more and more frantic each day. The Taako that Kravitz knew—the one that pretended to be cool and collected, the one that didn’t let anything bother him—was gone. In his place stood a desperate brother with everything to lose. 

Lup had been gone a month. 

Kravitz could feel Barry and Taako losing hope, though they both tried to hide it. 

On one of their searches, as Taako surged on ahead, Kravitz felt a hand on his arm. He turned to find Barry, the darkness of defeat in his eyes. “Hey, uh, Kravitz? Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Lup hasn’t shown up in the Astral Plane, right?” Barry’s voice cracked, as if saying it aloud were too much. “You would tell us if she was?”

A chill ran through Kravitz. “She hasn’t shown up there. I would have told you.” And he _would_ have told them. He wouldn’t have let them continue a fruitless search. Right? “That means she’s out there somewhere.”

Barry nodded, swallowing around a lump in his throat. “Then why hasn’t she come home?”

\--

Kravitz found himself in Taako’s bedroom for the first time in five weeks. Taako sat on his bed, even smaller than the last time they’d been here together. “Taako? What’s going on? Shouldn’t we be out—” 

“I need a break.” Taako shook his head. “I can’t—I can’t keep doing this. I can’t keep coming back empty-handed.”

Kravitz crossed the room slowly, as if approaching a scared animal, and sat down gingerly beside him. “One of these times, you’ll find her.”

Taako leaned against him and stared out at nothing. “What if I don’t? What if—What if she’s just _gone_?”

“She’s not just gone. She can’t just disappear like that.”

“Everyone else has given up.” Taako was trembling, now. “It’s just me and Barry looking.”

And before Kravitz could respond, Taako began to cry. 

In their year together, Taako had never even shed a tear. Now, his body shook with heavy sobs. 

As his heart broke in his chest, Kravitz pulled him into a hug, held him close to his chest, and let him cry.

\--

Kravitz kneeled in front of the Raven Queen’s throne, tears pricking at his eyes. “Please. You have to do something.”

_I cannot. You know I do not interfere with the lives of mortals._

“But she isn’t mortal! She’s a lich!” He tried to shake away the images of Taako sobbing, tried to shake the feeling of being clung to. 

_You know it would not bode well if I were to search for her._ A ruffle of feathers and bone. _This is something you must do on your own._

“I don’t know what else to do,” Kravitz whispered. 

\--

Six weeks passed since her disappearance. 

“What’s that?” Kravitz leaned over Barry’s shoulder to examine the parchment in his hands: a detailed map of Faerun marked with thick black circles. 

“A map of all the places the Phoenix Fire Gauntlet was used.” Barry almost smiled—he seemed more invigorated since their previous conversation. Like he had hope. “I realized there hadn’t been any incidents in a few weeks. We think this might be what she was after.” 

“So, if we go to the last place the Gauntlet was used,” Taako added, “Then we at least have a starting point.” 

Suddenly, Kravitz was reminded of a conversation nearly two months prior. “She and I talked about the Relics, before she disappeared.”

Taako’s face fell. Kravitz watched a flicker of confusion pass across it. “You talked with her before she disappeared and you never told me?”

Kravitz shook his head. “I… Didn’t think it was relevant.”

Taako stepped closer. “What did you talk about?”

“She told me she was glad you had me around. That she was distant because of all the people dying.”

Barry frowned. “Is that it?”

Kravitz shrugged, racking his brain as he tried to remember. “I told her I wished there was a way people could know about the Relics without getting their hands on them. She seemed to really cling to that.”

Taako’s face contorted in anger. “You—”

Barry tried to step between them. “ _Taako—_ ” 

“No.” Taako stomped up to Kravitz and glared up at him. His lips curled in a snarl. “You’re the reason she’s gone.” 

“What?” Kravitz had to stop himself from laughing. “How is this possibly my fault?”

Taako jabbed a finger into his chest. “ _You_ gave her the idea to hide it. You’ve been sitting on this information for almost _two months_ and you never thought it might be important? Bullshit! It sounds to me like you _wanted_ her to go!”

“What? No! Taako—”

Taako shoved at Kravitz’s chest, making him stumble backwards. “Get the _fuck_ away from me!”

What was he supposed to do? He couldn’t reason with Taako like this. 

Besides, maybe it _was_ his fault. 

“Okay.” He took a deep breath to steady himself. “Okay, Taako. I’ll go. But I’m not going to stop looking. And if you need me, you know how to get in touch. I’m sorry.”

He tore open a rift and stepped through, Taako’s glare burned into his mind. 

Taako never called.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is gonna be a good one >:)


	7. Chapter 7

It had been weeks. 

Throughout their various arguments, Kravitz had grown used to Taako waiting days to call him back. 

But he’d never made him wait this long.

He called, over and over. Taako never answered. 

Had he really messed up that badly?

His heart ached. He couldn’t imagine this being the end—their relationship dropping off into nothing. 

And so, against his better judgement, Kravitz opened a rift to the _Starblaster._

As he stepped onto the deck, he was greeted only by the caw of a crow in the distance and the rustle of leaves. 

Odd. He’d expected the other members of the crew to be at his throat the moment he appeared. 

“Hello?” He called out cautiously. 

Still no response. 

Perhaps his timing was off, and they were all out for the day. 

He headed down to Taako’s bedroom and slid the door open. Perhaps he could wait for him to come home, and they could talk. Even if things ended, at least he’d have the closure he needed. 

He’d give anything to keep this from ending. 

He sat down in Taako’s faded armchair and waited. And waited. 

And waited. 

The sun set, and still no one returned to the ship. 

Kravitz stayed until work called him away. But the next day, he was back. 

And when, again, no one returned, he came back the next day. 

And the next. 

Eventually, Kravitz was faced with the truth.

Taako wasn’t coming back. 

Not any time soon, at least. 

\--

Kravitz checked on the ship from time to time, only to find it as empty and lifeless as before. 

What happened? Was this because of his conversation with Lup? Had he chased Taako—and, as a result, the others—away?

Had their search for Lup taken them far, far away? 

Maybe they’d all moved on, leaving him behind.

At the very least, Taako wasn’t dead. Kravitz knew that much. 

His life had gone back to being lackluster and hollow, now that Taako was gone.

Being with Taako had gotten his hopes up too much. Now, he knew better. His purpose was to serve the Raven Queen. He shouldn’t have wasted his time on something as trivial as a relationship. 

He completed his jobs without flourish or complaint, day after day.

Four months passed. 

Kravitz finished up an easy job in Neverwinter and let himself mull around town, desperate for some way to pass the time. 

He found himself walking towards the town square, pushing through a crowd headed the opposite direction. Slowly, he began to pick up pieces of conversations.

“…And it was so delicious, too!”

“Did you see the way he transformed the food?”

“I hope he comes back for another show soon!”

A cooking show? Kravitz chuckled darkly to himself. It sounded like something Taako would have been into. Maybe going to the town square wasn’t such a good idea—

It was then that he caught a glimpse of a banner on a wagon: _”Sizzle It Up With Taako.”_

For a brief moment, Kravitz’s heart froze in his chest. He pushed forward through the crowd, almost in a daze. 

“Can I help you with something?”

A half-elf called out, snapping him back to reality. Kravitz turned with a frown, taking in the half-elf’s burly shape. “Where is he?”

The half-elf scoffed. “He’s busy. The meet-and-greet was before the show.”

“Meet-and-greet? No, I…” Kravitz stepped closer. “I _know_ him. He hasn’t seen me in a while, but—” 

“Yeah, right.” The half-elf rolled his eyes, closing the distance between him and Kravitz. He was a few inches shorter, but he stood his ground regardless. “You think I haven’t heard that one before? Get lost.”

“What? No! You don’t understand, I—” 

“It’s okay, Sazed. I’ve always got a minute for a fan!” 

Relief flooded through Kravitz’s veins. “Taako!”

But the Taako that turned the corner wasn’t the one he’d left behind months ago. 

This Taako stood tall, his hair pulled back in a neat bun. His lips were painted a deep red, and his eyes a sparkling gold. Kravitz could only see the lines of exhaustion because he knew where to look. Something was off.

Taako smiled easily as he spotted Kravitz. “In the flesh. You got a name, Kemosabe?”

Kravitz froze, his arm reaching towards Taako. “It’s… Me. It’s Kravitz.”

Maybe this was a joke? No. It couldn’t be. There was no recognition in Taako’s eyes. 

“Kravitz.” Taako rolled the name around on his tongue, like he was trying it out for the first time. Then, his brow furrowed. “Have we met before?”

Kravitz felt empty and cold. Is this why the _Starblaster_ was empty? Because they’d all somehow _forgotten?_

He chose his words carefully. “I knew you and your… Family.”

Taako laughed harshly. “I think you’ve got the wrong guy.” 

Goosebumps prickled across Kravitz’s skin. This couldn’t be happening. “What makes you say that?”

“Cha’boy doesn’t have a family.” Taako said it with a wave of his hand, as if dismissing the very thought. 

No, no, no, no. 

Kravitz stepped forward. “What about Lup?”

Taako staggered backwards, trying and failing to mask his fear. “What? I-I don’t—Sazed!”

Sazed took a step forward. “I think you need to leave.”

“Taako, we need to talk and figure out what’s going on. Please.” His voice was shrill and desperate. It took everything he had not to grab Taako by the shoulders and shake him. “You _have_ to remember Lup!”

"I don't know who you're talking about!" Taako shook his head frantically. "Sazed!" 

Sazed grabbed Kravitz's wrist. "I said you need to get out of here!"

Kravitz yanked his arm free easily. "Okay. Okay, I'll go. I'm sorry, Taako. I’m sorry. Just… Try to remember. Please.”

Taako just stared at Kravitz as he stumbled backwards and away. He blindly made his way to an empty alleyway and sliced open a rift. 

He didn’t think about where he would end up as he practically fell through, landing on the cold ground on his knees gasping for air. 

It hurt. Everything hurt. Like he was dying all over again. 

_Kravitz?_

The Raven Queen’s voice rang through his mind. Usually a source of comfort, it now felt like anything but—like he was being invaded. 

He shook his head desperately. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I can’t.”

_You are crying. Your heart—What happened?_

Kravitz threw his head into his hands as his body was wracked by sobs. “I found him. He doesn’t—He doesn’t remember _anything._ ”

How could he have forgotten him? How could he have forgotten _Lup?_

The Raven Queen stayed silent, though Kravitz could hear the familiar rustle of feathers. 

Never again would Kravitz hold Taako. Never again would they comfort each other, or hold a conversation, or just _be_ together. 

He’d lost Taako for good. 

Kravitz couldn’t say the moment his heart had started beating, but he knew the exact moment it stopped.


	8. Chapter 8

_I am worried about you, Kravitz._

Kravitz kneeled on the ground, unflinching. They’d had this conversation before. “There’s no need to worry, my Queen. I’m fine.”

_It has been months, and yet you have not smiled._

Why would he? He had no reason to anymore. 

“I can still do my job,” he answered coolly. 

Her feathers ruffled. _It is not the job that concerns me._

His hold tightened on his scythe. “Just give me my next mission. Please.”

She sighed, and the sound resonated through his whole body. _Very well. There is a lich I need you to track down._

\--

Rumors of a lich led Kravitz to a small cave outside of Phandolin. 

He entered carefully, scythe in hand. But only a few steps in, it became clear that he was alone. 

The entranceway opened up into a large cavern. Papers covered every inch of the walls. In the center of the makeshift room stood a machine, pulsating with necrotic energy. 

He frowned as he stepped closer to the wall, towards a map hosting a number of black circles. It looked familiar, somehow. 

He’d seen it before, with—

“Kravitz?”

Kravitz spun on his heels and found himself face-to-face with the lich he’d been searching for. 

Barry’s hooded shape blurred along the edges. “What are you doing here?”

Kravitz took a step closer, and Barry floated further backwards. Anger twisted in his chest. How dare Barry remember him, when Taako couldn’t? 

What if this was _his_ fault?

Kravitz held up his scythe, ready to strike. “You remember who I am.”

“Yeah, of course I—” A shiver ran through his form, disrupting it. “You found Taako.”

“Of course, I found Taako,” Kravitz sneered, “Did you think I wouldn’t?”

Barry’s form continued to flicker. He held his skeletal hands in front of his face. “No, Kravitz, it’s not—It’s not like that!”

Kravitz tightened his grip. 

“Lucretia. She… She erased our memories. I felt myself forgetting Lup, and I… I panicked. I had Taako kill me so I wouldn’t forget.”

Kravitz faltered, but didn’t lower his weapon. “Why?”

“She has a plan to use the light of creation to stop the Hunger. We wouldn’t help her. We told her it wouldn’t work.” Barry’s body shifted, as if he were taking a deep breath. “Please, Kravitz, you can’t kill me. I can’t—I can’t go with you.”

“What? Barry, I’m not—” 

“Lup is out there, somewhere. I have to find her. I can’t leave the others. I _can’t!_ ”

Arcane energy began pulsing off Barry’s already inconsistent silhouette. Kravitz dove out of the way, just barely avoiding a bolt of red power. 

He sent his scythe back to its pocket dimension and stood up slowly, his hands raised in front of his face. “Barry. I’m not going to hurt you.” 

Barry shook his head. The papers rustled as if by a breeze. “No. You’re lying. You had one more rule, and I broke it.”

Kravitz could guess that he was referring to the necromantic machine. “Barry, it’s okay. I don’t… I don’t care anymore.”

 _”What?_ ”

Kravitz swallowed, taking a small step closer. Barry didn’t move away. “Taako is gone. I don’t care about my job anymore. I don’t care about the rules. If you can get him back, you can do whatever you have to do.”

Barry’s form began to coalesce. “You don’t mean it.”

Kravitz wanted to laugh. “Of course, I do. Just like you would do anything for Lup.”

Barry floated closer. “I’ve been so alone,” he sobbed. “This entire time, I’ve been alone.”

Kravitz surprised himself with his answer. “I know. Me, too.”

\--

It was Lucretia’s fault, then. 

Finally, Kravitz had a way to dedicate his free time. 

He was going to find her, and she was going to pay. 

But even for a bounty hunter like him, Lucretia was elusive. Barry wasn’t much help—he was too dedicated to finding Lup. Still, it was nice to finally have some company. Someone who understood. Someone who _remembered._

\--

During one of their visits, Barry shifted uncomfortably. “My body is almost done. Just a few more weeks.”

Kravitz didn’t respond. He didn’t approve of Barry’s machine, though he understood why he had it. 

“And, well… When I’m back in my body…” Barry eyed him nervously and made a sound like clearing his throat. “I’m going to forget everything.”

Kravitz tensed, fighting to keep himself from going skeletal as a flood of anger hit him. “You’re going to forget? On purpose?”

“I don’t _want_ to, but I don’t have a choice!” Barry’s robe flickered around him. 

How dare he? “You’re leaving me alone.”

“Kravitz, I’m sorry! Lucretia is after me. I have to find Lup—”

Kravitz could hear himself yelling, but he didn’t care. “How are you going to find her if you can’t even _remember_ her?”

Barry flinched. Then, quietly, “I have a plan.”

Maybe he’d gone too far. “Barry—” 

“It’s going to work out, Kravitz. It’s going to be fine. But right now, I need you to leave.”

And just like that, Kravitz found himself alone again. 

\--

Kravitz’s search proved fruitless until a second moon appeared in the sky. 

He didn’t know it was Lucretia, but his curiosity drove him enough to open a rift to its surface. 

He found it nearly abandoned. Slipping past the few guards was easy, and he invited himself to have a look around. 

He found Lucretia by chance. 

A pull in his gut—an instinct—led him to her office. 

“Lucretia.”

She turned from her place at the window with a gasp. 

And unlike Taako, he could see the recognition in her eyes. 

“Kravitz,” she whispered. 

“Good,” he sneered, “you remember me.” 

He summoned his scythe and strode towards her, lowering the blade to her throat in one swift motion. “I’m here to take you to the Astral Plane.”

Lucretia closed her eyes. “You can’t do this.”

“And why not?” Kravitz growled. “You took _everything_ from me.”

She took a deep breath and stared him in the eye. “If you kill me, he’ll never remember.”

It hit Kravitz in the chest like a lightning bolt. “You _little—“_

“This is just temporary, Kravitz. I—I promise. Before long, you’ll have him back. He’ll remember everything.”

He didn’t have a choice—not if he wanted Taako back. 

He lowered his scythe. 

“How could you do that to them? They were your _family.”_

For a brief moment, he could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes. But she blinked them away and steeled herself, shaking her head. “I didn’t have a choice.”

“Of course, you did,” Kravitz hissed. “You always had a choice.”

He tore a rift through the air, dangerously close to Lucretia’s face. She staggered backwards. 

“I’ll be keeping an eye on you,” Kravitz warned. “And if I find out you’re lying to me—that his memories are gone for good—then next time you’re coming with me.”


	9. Chapter 9

Another year passed by in a blur. 

Kravitz didn’t know how much time had passed since he’d last seen Taako, but he did his best not to think about it. 

It still felt too much like an open wound. 

_I have your next quarry. Their names are Lucas and Maureen Miller,_ the Raven Queen told him. _He is guilty of necromancy, and she escaped from the Eternal Stockade._

A simple enough mission, on the surface. 

\--

Kravitz had managed to piece together two things.

One: the pink crystal spread to anything it touched, and so he was better off not touching it.

Two: Lucas and Maureen Miller were here somewhere, in this sprawling complex of a lab. He just had to find them. 

Now, he found himself in what had once been a courtyard. He’d relinquished his corporeal form in the name of safety and, instead, was floating around as a ball of energy. It wasn’t ideal—it was slow going, and he had to cut rifts to travel from place to place, but it was better than being turned to pink tourmaline. 

He was just about to open a rift somewhere else when he sensed three souls approaching. 

And, among them, was a soul he’d know anywhere. 

His form flickered brightly as he spun around to face him. “Taako?”

The three figures froze. 

“Taako, why does this orb of light know your name?” Magnus asked. What was _he_ doing here? Merle stood at his side.

If they were together, did that mean they remembered?

He shimmered, but then the light died down. No, Taako would have recognized his voice. 

“Beats me,” Taako shrugged. 

His very existence hurt as he was reminded of what he’d lost. 

“I was… A fan of your show,” Kravitz answered carefully. “What are you _doing_ here?”

Taako tensed. Had that been the wrong answer? Had he missed something? 

Merle frowned. “What’s he talking about?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Taako grumbled. “We’re short on time. Gotta get going.”

He took a step away, and Kravitz’s being screamed. _No. No, I can’t lose you again._ “Wait!”

Taako froze, the tension visible in his shoulders. 

“Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kravitz. I’m the Grim Reaper.”

Taako staggered backwards, as if he were ready to run.

Kravitz pushed onward, desperate. “I’m searching for Lucas and Maureen Miller. Perhaps you could help me find them.”

“Sorry, homie,” Taako hissed through clenched teeth. “We’ve got our own shit to worry about. Let’s go.”

“Wait.” Magnus held up a hand. “Why are you trying to find them?”

“They’ve been charged with breaking the laws of life and death. As an emissary of the Raven Queen, it’s my duty to bring them in and make sure they pay for their crimes.”

Taako scoffed. “You can’t seriously—” 

“What crimes did they commit?” Magnus’s voice stayed even. 

“Maureen Miller has already died. She escaped from the Astral Plane.” With anyone else, he wouldn’t dare divulge such confidential information. But with _them…_ “Lucas Miller has been charged with necromancy, including helping her escape.”

Magnus turned to his party. “We’re trying to bring the guy in, anyways. And I’d rather be on the good side of the Grim Reaper than be fighting against him.”

“I’m with Maggie,” Merle nodded. 

Taako opened his mouth, probably to object, but Magnus clapped his hands together. “It’s settled, then! Kravitz, you’re coming with us.”

“Wonderful.” Kravitz shone vibrantly. “There’s just the issue of… Transportation. It’s hard for me to move around like this. I could turn into a bird, but even then, I can only fly for so long. Could I sit on someone’s shoulder? That may be the easiest way to go about this.”

“Taako kinda stays out of combat,” Merle offered. “He might be your best bet.” 

Taako threw him a dirty look. Why was he acting so hostile?

Kravitz hesitated. “Taako, is that okay?”

“It’s fine,” he growled. 

“If you’re uncomfortable—” 

“I _said_ it’s fine! Just don’t shit on my suit.” Taako spat. “Now, like I said, we’re on a time limit here, so if you could hurry up and change already, that would be great.”

Kravitz obeyed, letting his soul mold itself into the shape of a raven. He fluttered over and landed on Taako’s shoulder.

“Okay,” Magnus grinned, “Let’s get going!”

\--

“You have to make it through the demo,” Lucas Miller said through their stones of far speech. “Then I can power it off and buy us some more time.”

Kravitz leaned into Taako’s ear. “What is he buying us time for?”

“So the floating lab doesn’t fall into the ocean and crystalize the entire world,” Taako sighed back. Then, loud enough for the others to hear, he added, “I’m not getting on another fucking elevator.”

“Merle and I’ll do it, then. You two just wait here.” Magnus threw them a thumbs up before stepping into the elevator. Merle reluctantly followed him in. 

The door closed, and the elevator shrunk down. A very small Merle and Magnus stepped out and into a model-sized Neverwinter. A timer began counting down from three minutes. 

“Listen,” Taako whispered, “If you tell them about Glamour Springs, I’ll kill you a second time or whatever.”

Glamour Springs? “What are you talking about?” 

“You don’t have to play dumb. That’s how you know me, isn’t it?”

“What? I—No, Taako, I really was a fan of your show. What happened in Glamour Springs?”

Taako turned his head away. Kravitz could see the way he was tensing his jaw. “Doesn’t matter, then. Just forget about it.”

\--

Kravitz shifted his weight on Taako’s shoulder. 

The robot in front of them chirped. “I am getting bored! Is there nothing I don’t know?”

Their stones of far speech were offline. Kravitz had asked this robot every question he could possibly think of—and everything had been answered. 

If they couldn’t stump this robot, they wouldn’t be able to move on. 

Suddenly, Taako smiled. “Hey, I’ve got a question. Who do we work for?”

The robot began to smoke. “I do not understand. I do not understand. I do not—” 

And then the robot exploded. 

The blue aura limiting their communication faded away, and a frantic voice came through their stones of far speech. “Come in! Come in! Magnus, Merle, Taako, come in! Come in, come in! Is anyone there?”

Kravitz’s blood ran cold. “Taako, who is that?”

“Hm? Oh, the Director.”

“You mean you work for her?”

Taako examined his gloved hand. “Mhm.” 

Kravitz’s feathers rustled angrily. 

He knew that voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, this was a hard chapter to write! Next up is Crystal Kingdom Part II!
> 
> Thank you for all the comments so far--I know I'm not the best at responding, but each and every one of them makes my day <3

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave kudos/comments if you like it so far!
> 
> You can find me on tumblr @holla-pain-yo or on twitter @WorldsGayestDM


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